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Developing Happy Leaders – Tools and Resources

Developing Happy Workplace Leaders - Tools and Resources

By Lorraine Grubbs

 

Many people have asked,  “Are leaders made or are they born”?  The answer, in my opinion, is both.  Some people possess a natural, intuitive talent for leadership and then there are those who don’t.  The good news is that those who don’t can be taught, as long as they have a desire to learn.  It goes back to attitude…you can train skill, it’s much more difficult to change an attitude.  So, before you invest in a leader, determine that they have demonstrated a good attitude so you don’t end up wasting your efforts.   If you think that by giving them tools they will improve their attitude, you will more often than not be wrong.  Save these leadership opportunities for those who have demonstrated the potential through a good attitude.

I have been in leadership development for years and have collected quite a few resources.  Among those are a few “gems” that I would like to share.  I have found them to be highly effective in developing leaders.

White papers:  The Harvard Business Review is my number one resource for leadership articles and white papers.  They are well written, accessible on the Internet and contain hundreds of topics that a leader faces throughout their career.  And, while you can subscribe to the HBR, you can often find many of their articles and white papers on line for free.  From the basics to the more complex issues, you can find just about any topic your leader needs to learn.  You can also Google any leadership topic and find other white papers and articles relevant to just about any leadership topic.

 

Blogs are also an excellent source of leadership learning.   Respected and well-known leaders such as Jack Welch, Tony Robbins, and Stephen Covey write some of my favorite blogs.   Again, Google your favorite leaders and find out if they have a blog, and then subscribe.  You’ll get great information from these wise gurus.

 

Books:  Let the experts tell you what’s effective.  One of the best sites I have found for almost any type of leadership development is Cornerstone Leadership based out of Dallas, Texas.  They have hundreds of books designed in the quick-read format for the busy leader.  From mentoring to time management to customer service…you’ll find a myriad of topics and one-stop shopping.  You will also find many book recommendations in the blogs or websites of your favorite business leaders.

 

Mentoring:  One of the most powerful tools you can use is you, the leader of your company.  I know several CEOs that take a couple of hours a week to mentor their “high potentials”.  Yes, it takes time, but they all have said, without exception, that it is worth it.  And, not surprisingly, they get as much out of mentoring their leaders as the mentees do. My book, How to Create a Happy Workplace, has many examples of how award winning companies mentor.

 

Webinars:  There are so many out there it’s difficult to know which ones to sign up for.  I’ve taken some that were a waste of my time (and the good part is you can opt out during the webinar), but I’ve also taken some that taught me nuggets of valuable information.  My advice on webinars; if it’s a topic you need to learn, and it’s not a high cost, take it.  The worst thing that will happen is that you might learn one thing out of the hour of information.

 

Classes:  Brick and mortar is one of the most time-consuming, but can be one of the most valuable learning experiences you can give your leaders.  Some valuable classes I have treasured over the years include:  Franklin Time Management, Situational Leadership, Myers Briggs Personality Assessment, DISC, and How to Create a Happy Workplace.  Any of these classes can be found through the Internet, and all are designed to give your leaders extremely relevant tools.

Use the tools and resources in this blog to develop your leaders.  Whether experienced or inexperienced, these resources will help them be more successful leaders and will better your chances of becoming a top producer in your industry.

Lorraine Grubbs is an author, speaker and business consultant helping companies create "Happy Workplaces".  Read more about what she does at www.lorrainegrubbs.com